[ALMS09] Petit Le Mans / Road Atlanta

[Tom206wrc]

Hi,


This coming week, next round of the ALMS series with one of the most famous race, the 10 hours of PLM at Road Atlanta :D

I open the thread of this event, as it's sooo long wait until the new duel Audi/Peugeot since june...I'm so eager to follow it again :bounce:


http://www.americanlemans.com/
http://www.imsaracing.net/

The R15s will be driven by McNish/Capello and Luhr/Werner and the 908s by Sarrazin/Montagny and Minassian/Lamy...

The two factory Acuras will have a big european contender for the occasion: ORECA AIM with Panis, Lapierre and Dumas :eek:

Another surprise is Lord Paul Drayson leaving his Vantage GT2 for a new Lola Judd coupé...

[harvick#1]

I will be at the race. so I can't wait, although the Weather Service is calling for Scattered Thunderstorms everyday.

Its gonna still be a great event, ashame AMR didn't want to make the trip

[Tom206wrc]

Yeah about AMR it's a big shame :(
But I guess they argue with the current diesel/gasoline regulations they wouldn't be able to fight for victory :mark:

[harvick#1]

AMR is also not competing next season, they are working on their 2011 car for 2010 for the new regulations.

2010 is gonna be a tough year for prototypes, as many are working on the new regs

[harvick#1]

Im officially in braselton, ga. I'll be at the track the next 3 days. Ready for some fun, iso t'storms for Thursday and Friday, with t'storms on Saturday. Lookin like a rainy petit. No rain today in ga which is fantastic cause of all the flooding. None at the track

[chryby]

is there new Jaguar?

any pictures?

[chryby]

huge crash of scott sharp´s acura:
http://endurance-info.com/version2/images/news/2009_ALMS_PLM_ACC_Sharp.jpg

[harvick#1]

No pics until I get home. The jaguar team will race, but it's a test session. They didn't show up until Thursday so they were behind. The highcroft team was working there asses off having to build a racecar from ground up, hopefully the car is ready by tomorrow. This will be a rain event. It was hot and humid. But it's gonna rain tomorrow just about all day.

[Tom206wrc]

So both Pugs ahead, with Minassian leader in front of Montagny, Capello, Luhr, Pagenaud, Lapierre,... :D

[harvick#1]

The pugs were fast because of the heat, the results were the same in Sebring, but with rain and highs in the 70's instead of 85-90 and sunny. It seems the Sunday rain test will have a payoff for some teams. But back to qualies. How bout the GT2 class. Robertson racing on pole with the Ford GT

[Tom206wrc]

After 5 hours of race: red flag, because too much rain :mark:

Both 908s in front of both Audis(McNish did two rare mistakes for him), the Oreca AIM, one ACURA P1,...

When the race is back, it will be a new 5 hours night race ;)

[Shifter]

Does anyone know how to do a rain dance in reverse?

[BobbyC]

They called it.

184 laps and 4 hours, 48 minutes.

That should have resulted in a race postponement. If it's a 394-lap race, then it should go 198 laps before it should be called a race.

[F1boat]

Are Highcroft champions now?

[Tom206wrc]

I'm frustrated by this "end of race" :(

[Wim_Impreza]

After 5 hours of race: red flag, because too much rain :mark:

Real drivers are in rally. ;)

[pettersolberg29]

I'd love to agree with you Wim_Impreza, but remember Rally Ireland? Stages cancelled due to rain - an embarassment to the sport...

[Shifter]

I'm frustrated by this "end of race" :(

We all are, but the region was undergoing an epic amount of rainfall. The Atlanta area is known for the occasional strong storm, but this was the result of an unusual multi-day weather event that not only rained the race out but caused massive flooding and property loss. This is the first event at Road Atlanta other than a GT sprint race that I recall being truly cut short by weather.

[Jag_Warrior]

I was frustrated by the race having to be called. But considering that these storms have resulted in loss of lives and massive property losses, the race pales in comparison.

[wedge]

R15 the better car in the wet

just read Sarrazin admitting the back end was loose in intermediate conditions

Can't wait for LM 2010!

[harvick#1]

I'm frustrated by this "end of race" :(

I was there and I was pissed, the track looked good and the rain was stopped for 30 minutes when they called it, they said the esses were bad but everywhere else was good for a 50 minute sprint race.

we were sitting at turn ten and they finished work on that and looked great.

it was a great race for what it was. it was amazing how the 08 won even though he nearly wrecked it on the opening pace lap :laugh:

It was a awesome weekend, but with my luck, the race had to be called early.

The Risi boys pulled a fast won and was a great move, why Peugeot stayed out that extra lap was idiotic, it was down pouring in 10. It was ashamed Audi didn't win because they owned the Peugeots all race, it was like 07 Lemans.

but also down in the victory lane, the fans were showing their displeasure to the event staff and during the celebrations

[harvick#1]

Hey I'm in these 2 pics :D I'm the guy taking the pic just above the german flag, the one in the White Shell hat

http://www.motorsport.com/photos/alms/2009/atl/alms-2009-atl-re-0147.jpg

I'm the guy in line getting the autographs, the gentleman behind me was my dad

http://www.motorsport.com/photos/alms/2009/atl/alms-2009-atl-eg-0411.jpg

I'm famous :laugh:

Yes Tom, Jealous, I was at the Peugeot Tent :laugh:

[dataman1]

Interesting rumor circulated during red flag period that both teams with diesels were worried about restarting cold engines, fearing mechanical failures by not following their normal warm up cylce.

[FormerFF]

Well, the first four and a half hours were interesting. I suspect the main problem was how waterlogged the ground was. We'd had 8 to 12 inches of rain in the last week, and as soon as the rain started in earnest, water started streaming across the track, and then started to bring mud with it. The mud is really treacherous. Anyone seen "My Cousin Vinny"? That scene where his car got stuck in the mud isn't an exaggeration in this part of the country. I started to park my car in the overflow lot, and then moved it when I realized if it rained any more I may very well have needed a tow to get out. In those conditions, you want a spot where you can go forward down a hill to a gravel or paved road. If you need to go up a hill, you're not going to get out on your own.

When I was going into the infield, there was a wrecker trying to winch a tractor-trailer out of its parking spot. I can imagine what it's like to drive on a mud slicked track in a prototype.

[harvick#1]

all photos: http://photobucket.com/Steve2933

all videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/Spike2933

enjoy them everyone, these are all mine, feel free to save what you would like

[FormerFF]

One more thing I forgot to add: Allan McNish was amazing in the damp. I've seen three drivers in sports cars that I would have to put at the very top: McNish, Tom Kristensen, and Jacky Ickx. That's not to take away from the efforts of other drivers, I've seen many great ones in the 35 years that I've been following sports car racing, but those three have a little something extra.